374 STAPHTLiNiD^. [Plati/stethus. 



A. Punctuation stronger and loss sparing ; scutellum 

 with a distinct furrow on each side at base ; third 



joint of antennas a Httle shorter than second . . P. NODifbons, SaW&. 



B. Punctuation tiner and more sparing; scutellum 

 hifoveolate at base; tliird joint of antennte much 



shorter tlian second P. NITENS, Sahib. 



P. arenarius, Fourc. (morsitans, Payk., Pi/ctocrcprus morsitans, 

 Thorns.). Katlier depressed, smooth and shining, with strong outstanding 

 setse at sides, black, with the disc of elytra more or less distinctly reddish ; 

 head variable, as broad as or even broader than thorax in male, narrower 

 in female, depressed and finely sliagreened in front, strongly punctured 

 behind,, vertex with a strong furrow in centre ; antennae rather short, 

 pitchy black or black with penultimate joints rather separated, transverse ; 

 thorax transverse, not much narrowed behind, the basal margin being 

 almost as broad as the apical, deeply furrowed along central line, rather 

 finely and moderately punctured on disc, much more strongly and thickly 

 at sides, where the punctuation is often rugose or even longitudinally 

 striate ; elytra short, transverse, about as long as thorax, rather strongly 

 and moderately closely punctured ; hind body finely shagreened ; legs 

 pitchy testaceous, with tibiae paler than femora, and tarsi very light. L. 

 2-3| mm. 



Male with the seventh ventral segment produced in a plate in middle, 

 with a long sharp straight spine on each side. 



In haystack refuse, moss, dung-heaps, &c. ; common and generally distributed 

 tln-oughout the kingdom as far north as the Slietland Islands. 



P. cornutus, Gyll. {maxillosus, Peyr.). In general appearance this 

 species much resembles the preceding, but it is rather duller owing to 

 the spaces between the punctures of the front parts being very finely 

 shagreened ; the head is not contracted at base and is armed in front 

 with two long and sharp projecting spines ; the thorax is evidently 

 more narrowed behind, so that the basal margin is narrower than the 

 apical, and the punctuation of thorax and elytra is much finer ; the elytra, 

 moreover, are finely bordered at apex. L. 2-3^ mm. 



Male with the seventh ventral segment of hind body impressed, the 

 impression being terminated on each side by two sharp teeth which are 

 bent inwards, sixth segment either broadly emarginate, or narrowly and 

 angularly excised in middle of apex : both this and the preceding species 

 appear to vary considerably as regards the male characters. According 

 to Mulsant and Eey the seventh ventral segment is deeply and angularly 

 emarginate at apex, in P. morsitans, while Erichson says it is triangularly 

 produced ; the fact appears to be that toth are right, the produced 

 plate seeming as if it were distinct f loni the emargination, beyond which 

 it projects. 



Damp margins of ponds, Ac; also sometimes in hotbeds; gonerary distributed 

 and common in the London district and the south ; not so common in the Midlands; 

 occurs in the Manclie-tcr district, but is not recorded at all from the extreme northern 

 counties, or from Scotland ; Ireland, Watcrfurd and Galway. 



